Reading The Riots on Twitter at LIFT12

This presentation looks at the ways in which the riots were discussed on Twitter, during the four days of rioting in the UK during the summer of 2011. The 'Reading the Riots on Twitter' project examined 2.6 million riot tweets, focusing specifically on the role of rumours, whether incitement was organised on Twitter as well as who the key users were that tweeted the riots. Finally, it looks at how emergency services in particular can improve their social media strategies in the future.

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READINGTHE RIOTS [Day 2: rest of London]ON TWITTER Riots spread to Enfield, 6 miles north of Tottenham. Fewer clashes with the police, more focused on looting shops. Similar disturbances in the south, in Brixton. Further minor outbreaks elsewhere in London, including in Oxford Circus, Hackney and Waltham Forrest.

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READINGTHE RIOTS [Day 3: The disorder spreads]ON TWITTER Monday saw the most intense 24 hours of civil unrest in recent history. 22 out of London‟s 32 boroughs were affected. Two people dead. Rioting spreads to the Midlands, Birmingham, West Bromwich, Nottingham, Leicester, Liverpool and elsewhere.

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READINGTHE RIOTS [Day 4: Extra policing]ON TWITTER Unprecedented numbers of police in London. Only minor incidents in the capital. Rioting continues in the rest of the UK, including in Birmingham where 3 young men were killed while protecting shops. Disturbances in Manchester and Salford – intense looting of the city centre.

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READING What was going on?THE RIOTSON TWITTER “Criminality pure and simple” [Government repeatedly claimed] NO links to poverty, lack of education, opportunity, economic situation NO NEED FOR AN INQUIRY (nothing to see here, move along)

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READING The accusersTHE RIOTSON TWITTER David Cameron, Prime Minister …“whether it would be right to stop people communicating via these websites and services when we know they are plotting violence, disorder and criminality”. On the riots: “struck by how they were organised via social media”. Louise Mensch, Conservative MP Proposed temporary shutdown of Facebook and Twitter. “Common sense. If riot info and fear is spreading by Facebook& Twitter, shut them off for an hour or two, then restore. World wont implode”.

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READING The defendersTHE RIOTSON TWITTER THE POLICE (among many others) Vital channel of communication Kevin Hoy, web manager Greater Manchester police Twitter allows for “direct reassurance” and “dispel rumours … in a way that we could never have achieved previously” On Use of Twitter: “overwhelmingly positive”

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READING The general publicTHE RIOTSON TWITTER Two-thirds support social networking blackout in future riots “A poll of 973 adults carried out for the online security firm Unisys found 70% of adults supported the shutdown of Twitter, Facebook and Blackberry Messenger (BBM), while only 27% disagreed.” Support strongest among 65+, weakest among 18-24 year olds.

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READINGTHE RIOTSON TWITTER What role did social media play? 2.6 million riot tweets (donated by Twitter) 700,000 individual accounts Initially: o Role of Rumours o Did incitement take place? [no – #riotcleanup] o What is the role of different actors on Twitter?

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READINGTHE RIOTSON TWITTER Satirical comments and images Fake PR for Rupert Murdoch:„SkyNews is right. #LondonRiots all Twitter‟s fault. Give Twitter to me, we‟ll strip it of importance and relevancy like we did to MySpace.‟ Can‟t get into BBM? „just ask News International‟ Images of people planking during the riots